How to Say "More Than" in Japanese: Comparing Two Things (...yori ...no hou ga)
Hello! In previous lessons, you learned how to express basic facts. In this lesson, we will hone the skill of more clearly expressing your 'opinions' and 'preferences'.
This is the expression for comparing two items and making a judgment: 'A is more ~ than B'. Once you master it, you will be able to clearly state your choice and its reasons, whether it's choosing from a menu in a restaurant or comparing products in a store!
🎯 Lesson Goal
Learn to compare two things and explain which one has more of a certain quality using the form
「Aのほうが Bより〜です」 (A no hou ga B yori ~ desu)!
Step 1 Discover
Let's look at how this is used in a real conversation. Two colleagues are discussing their preferences.
コーヒーと紅茶と、どちらが好きですか？
(Ko-hi- to koucha to, dochira ga suki desu ka?)
私は紅茶のほうが好きです。
(Watashi wa koucha no hou ga suki desu.)
Did you notice?
Yuki uses "のほうが (no hou ga)" to highlight her choice. You can add "コーヒーより (ko-hi- yori)" to explicitly state what it is being compared to!
Step 2 The Pattern
Here is the most powerful and useful chunk for comparing two items.
Basic Chunk
のほうが より です。
( no hou ga yori desu.)
🔑 Key Point: 〜のほう (no hou)
This literally means "the side of". It is placed directly after the item that "wins" the comparison (Item A). It emphasizes that out of the two, this one has more of the quality.
🌟 Pro Tip: 〜より (yori)
This acts as the reference point, meaning "than" or "compared to" (Item B). In Japanese, you can swap the order of the sentence (e.g., Bより、Aのほうが〜) without changing the meaning!
Step 3 Pattern Practice
Listen and read these out loud to get used to the structure.
-
Speed Train vs Bus
電車のほうが、バスより速いです。
(Densha no hou ga, basu yori hayai desu.)
-
Weather Summer vs Winter
夏より、冬のほうが好きです。
(Natsu yori, fuyu no hou ga suki desu.)
-
Price Secondhand vs New
新品を買うより、中古のほうが安いです。
(Shinpin o kau yori, chuuko no hou ga yasui desu.)
Step 4 Make It Yours!
This is the most important step! Compare things around you and state your opinion using the template below.
👉 A のほうが B より ADJECTIVE です。
Vocabulary Cheat Sheet
Examples for Comparison
- いぬ / ねこ inu / neko (dog / cat)
- やま / うみ yama / umi (mountains / sea)
- にく / さかな niku / sakana (meat / fish)
- なつ / ふゆ natsu / fuyu (summer / winter)
Example Adjectives
- すき suki (like)
- おおきい ookii (big)
- たかい takai (expensive/high)
- はやい hayai (fast)
Bonus Go Beyond the Basics
In real life, you might want to ask someone which of two things they prefer, or say you don't prefer something. Here is how you can tweak the comparison structure!
🙅♀️ 1. Negative
猫のほうが好きではありません。
(Neko no hou ga suki dewa arimasen.)
猫のほうが好きじゃない。
(Neko no hou ga suki ja nai.)
🤝 2. Friendly & Casual
猫のほうが好き！
(Neko no hou ga suki!)
どっちが好き？
(Dotchi ga suki? - Which do you like?)
Summary Lesson Review
Making Comparisons: Use the structure Aのほうが Bより〜です to say "A is more ~ than B".
The Winner: Place のほうが (no hou ga) directly after the item that "wins" the comparison.
The Reference Point: Use より (yori) after the item being compared to. You can safely swap the order of the A and B parts in the sentence.
Practice Drill
Explanation